Javier Gancedo offers his recommendations in the EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge for Games 3 and 4 of the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs.

Fantasy tips for Games 3 and 4: Rising to the moment

What a way to start the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs! 

Olympiacos Piraeus, AS Monaco and Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul made the most of their home-court advantage to take 2-0 leads in their series, while Anadolu Efes Istanbul edged Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens in Game 2 to level things up heading back to Turkiye. 

Anything can happen this week – from sweeps to comebacks. As always, I have some recommendations to make your EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge teams even better. 

### Terry Tarpey, AS Monaco (4.2 credits)

[Terry Tarpey](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/terry-tarpey/012515/) has earned a reputation for always being ready when his number is called. Coach Vassilis Spanoulis surprised Barca with a very small lineup featuring Tarpey at power forward, which worked well. No player under 5.0 credits has been more effective in the playoffs: 3.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 PIR.

### Tarik Biberovic, Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (8.2 credits)

Tarik Biberovic is coming off a career-best night, reaching 20 points for the first time in his EuroLeague career. He was effective from beyond the arc but also attacked the rim and was really active on offense. Paris's run-and-gun style suits him well, and Biberovic is ready to keep shining in Game 3.

### Dzanan Musa, Real Madrid (11.9 credits)

Dzanan Musa struggled in Game 2 against Olympiacos, finishing the night with 2 points on 1-of-7 shooting and a PIR of 0. He already bounced back in Spanish League action, getting 22 points on 6-of-7 three-pointers. Real Madrid plays at home this time and it is hard to imagine that Musa has such a sub-par performance again. He could be your X-factor in Game 3.

### Vincent Poirier, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (14.6 credits)

[Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) has been simply sensational so far, dominating the paint and finding a lot of advantages against Omer Yurtseven and Wenyen Gabriel. In Games 1 and 2 in Athens, Poirier averaged 16.5 points on 73.7% shooting, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and a PIR of 26.0. It will be hard to find a better center in the game.

### TJ Shorts, Paris Basketball (20.2 credits)

If you think Paris won't fight until the very end, think again. Paris hosts Game 3, where [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) feels comfortable, and he should be his usual, unstoppable self. He has been playing well in the series, averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 assists and a PIR of 19.0. If Paris needs a monster game from Shorts to force Game 4, he will be ready to deliver.

Javier Gancedo gives his recommendations for this week's playoff action

Paris Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-04-29T18:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-04-29T19:00:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-04-30T17:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-04-30T17:45:00.000Z)

Paris Basketball v Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul (2025-05-01T18:30:00.000Z)

Real Madrid v Olympiacos Piraeus (2025-05-01T19:00:00.000Z)

Anadolu Efes Istanbul v Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens (2025-05-02T17:30:00.000Z)

FC Barcelona v AS Monaco (2025-05-02T18:45:00.000Z)

EuroLeague top photos of the week

Look back at all the action from Playoffs Game 1 and 2 by checking out the best photos of the week! 

Top 10 photos from Playoffs: Games 1 and 2

Olympiacos BC grabbed 16 offensive rebounds in its Game 2 victory against Real Madrid, and now it will look to close the series by winning Game 3 in the Spanish capital next week.

Olympiacos showed grit and desire in Game 2 – qualities it will need in Game 3

A defensive sequence cannot be labeled successful if the rebound is not captured at the end of the play. Boxing out and protecting the boards is considered as important as whatever may have occurred before the ball was released by the hands of the opposition player on offense. Hence, pulling down as many as 16 offensive rebounds in a tight game where neither team managed to score more than 77 points clearly has a huge impact on the game.

Doing so against the team with the best defensive rebounding average in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this season (26.5 rpg) is one of the keys that can lead to a victory.

On Friday night, [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) managed to [beat Real Madrid 77-71 in Game 2](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-outlasts-real-madrid-77-71-for-a-2-0-lead-in-the-series/), where the hosts secured 16 second-chance opportunities through offensive boards. Six players grabbed at least 1 each, with [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) recording a game-high 5 offensive rebounds.

Olympiacos's two main bigs, [Moustapha Fall](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/moustapha-fall/008811/) and [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/), chipped in with 3 apiece, giving the Reds extra possessions and dealing constant blows in the morale of Real Madrid’s players, all while pulling off an extraordinary outing on the defensive end.

“We had 16 second chances from offensive rebounds and finally we managed to beat this great team,” Georgios Bartzokas told EuroLeague TV after Friday’s clash. “The game was full of tension, a typical playoff game. Real Madrid played excellently, with their talent, their experience.”

Despite heading into Game 2 as only the 13th-best team in total rebounds (33.4, rpg) so far this campaign, Olympiacos secured 36 boards which prevented the visitors from dictating the tempo on both ends. In a game where the hosts struggled to connect with the basket, missing 17 two-pointers and 23 triples, finding extra possessions played a key role in the outcome.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣️ Coach Georgios Bartzokas: &quot;Nothing finished. One game at a time&quot;.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/a66SDTXwmg">pic.twitter.com/a66SDTXwmg</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1915890669672898607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yet, Real Madrid has proved in the past that it should not be underestimated under any circumstances. And Vezenkov was quick to remind everyone that there has been only one team in EuroLeague history to turn a series around from 2-0 down.

“\[In Game 3\] we have to play better on offense, make better decisions and be very concentrated,” Vezenkov said in the post-game press conference. “Because if you remember, Real Madrid came back from 2-0 two years ago in very difficult circumstances.”

In fact, Real Madrid was trailing Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade 2-0 in the 2023 EuroLeague Playoffs after the Serbian side grabbed back-to-back victories in the Spanish capital. *Los Blancos* not only turned the series around but they also went all the way to win the trophy after beating Olympiacos in the championship game.

“We have to keep believing because we are going to fight until the end,” Chus Mateo said in the post-game press conference. “We’re not going to stop. It would be very difficult to beat Olympiacos on the road because they are a very good team with experienced players, a great coach and a great atmosphere of basketball.”

Meanwhile, the remarks of Bartzokas, Milutinov and Vezenkov after the game had one common denominator: the Reds may have won all its four games against Real Madrid this season, but nothing is over until a third playoff victory is officially clinched.

Olympiacos will travel to Spain next week, with Game 3 scheduled to take place on Tuesday night. Protecting the boards will be the key to controlling the tempo in yet another game, and if the visitors manage to do so they would have taken an important step towards sealing their place at the Final Four for the fourth season in a row.

Game News

The Reds recorded 16 offensive rebounds against the team with the best defensive rebounding average in the league

Olympiacos Piraeus v Real Madrid (2025-04-25T18:30:00.000Z)

After another dominant playoff victory, AS Monaco and its backcourt of Mike James, Elie Okobo and Matthew Strazel are on the cusp of taking the team to the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four.

Monaco's ‘luxury’ backcourt flipped the script on Barcelona in Game 2

When the playoff pairings were finalized a week ago, few would have thought that the series between fourth-seeded [AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) and fifth-placed [FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/fc-barcelona/bar/) would be the most lopsided of the four in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs. But, it is not even close after two games in each series have been played.

Monaco dominated Games 1 and 2, winning them by a combined 31-point margin, including [a 92-79 win on Friday night](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-blows-past-barcelona-92-79-to-take-2-0-series-lead/). And Game 2, as intense as it was, did not seem as close as the final 13-point margin would suggest.

“I think we are just playing well,” [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/), one of the main protagonists of Game 2, said. “We are playing defense, nitty-gritty, and we are helping each other as well. When we play like that, it's really hard to beat us. Especially with the offensive talent we have.”

While Diallo says it all starts with defense, with Monaco playing with a visible energy and physicality, what caught everyone’s eye is Monaco offense and how impressive it has been looking. And that is a bit of a surprise.

Barcelona was the team that finished the regular season ranked second in scoring (88.1 ppg.) and second in assists (20.1 apg.). Monaco was not too far behind with 86.3 points and 18.7 assists, but it was middle-of-the-pack in both categories.

But after two opening games of this playoff series, this script has been flipped.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Home court protected! 🔒<a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ASMonaco_Basket</a> 👏 <a href="https://t.co/jies5S6xEX">pic.twitter.com/jies5S6xEX</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1915862826280771705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Monaco has scored at least 92 points in both games to start the series, while no other team in the other six playoff fixtures has so far managed to score 90.

This offensive rhapsody was especially on display in Game 2 as Monaco went 28 for 39 (71.8%) on two-pointers and dished a club-record 28 assists.

“I think we were even better than in the first game,” Monaco head coach Vassilis Spanoulis said after his team took a 2-0 series lead, before stressing why he thinks everything is clicking: “We have guards who have willingness to create for their teammates, and this is big for me.”

Monaco has a total of 49 assists in two playoff games, which is 12 more than the next best team (Efes with 37), and an incredible 21 more than Barcelona.

In Game 2, what might be the most impressive part is that Monaco had 25 assists in the first three quarters, along with 80 points and a 16-point lead.

“Our guards were amazing, creating for the others,” Spanoulis also said.

“When you have such talented guards who have a willingness to play for the team, for the win, to read the defenses and to not overdo it, it’s a luxury. When they understand this, we are a different team.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Job not finished!” 🗣️ <a href="https://twitter.com/mrjloyd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mrjloyd</a> <br><br>LOCKED IN on Game 3 👀🔒 <a href="https://t.co/dPVlMjMtXN">pic.twitter.com/dPVlMjMtXN</a></p>&mdash; Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) <a href="https://twitter.com/EuroLeague/status/1915864758105895319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The center of this all is, of course, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/). He had just 5 points on 1-of-6 field-goal shooting, with 6 assists and 4 turnovers. But the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer received nothing but praise from his coach.

“He takes so much attention of the defenses, so he makes everybody’s life easier,” Spanoulis said after Game 2.  “This is the chemistry of this team, they play for each other. We do not want to play selfish, we want to play good basketball, and to take what the game gives us. 

"Mike had a lot of good looks in the first game, and he was our best scorer, and now he was our great creator. Somebody else did the job because we trust each other, we share the ball and we are ready to always take the right decision. I am very happy for this and I am very proud of our creators, Mike and [Elie \[Okobo\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) and [Matthew \[Strazel\]](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/).”

The trio combined for 19 assists in Game 2, and the next task for Monaco is to carry its momentum into Game 3 and finish the job. The first chance comes next Wednesday at Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona.

Vassilis Spanoulis's side has showed out through Games 1 and 2 of the playoffs

AS Monaco v FC Barcelona (2025-04-25T17:00:00.000Z)

MVP of the Round honors for Game 2 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs are shared by Anadolu Efes Istanbul’s Shane Larkin, the all-time record-holder when it comes to this award, and AS Monaco’s Mam Jaiteh, who has never won this prize before.

Playoffs Game 2 co-MVPs: Shane Larkin, Mam Jaiteh

MVP of the Round honors for Game 2 of the 2025 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs are shared by Anadolu Efes Istanbul’s [Shane Larkin](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/shane-larkin/007200/), the all-time record-holder when it comes to this award, and AS Monaco’s [Mam Jaiteh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mam-jaiteh/002581/), who has never won this prize before.

Larkin led Efes in a come-from-behind 76-79 win at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens with 20 points, shooting 1 of 2 on two-pointers, 4 of 6 on three-pointers and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. He also had 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal, while drawing 5 fouls and accumulating a 27 PIR. Larkin earned MVP of the Round honors for the second time this season and the 19th time in his career, an all-time record.

Jaiteh had that same PIR, equaling his career high, in Monaco’s resounding 92-79 over FC Barcelona. He tied his career best with 20 points on 9-of-9 two-point shooting. He made both of his free throws, pulled down 4 rebounds, had 2 steals and dished 1 assist. This is the first time that Jaiteh has secured the MVP of the Round accolade.

The next-best PIR, 26, belongs to [Nigel Hayes-Davis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nigel-hayes-davis/008962/), who led Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul in an 89-72 win over Paris Basketball with 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 5 fouls drawn.

Rounding out the list of top performers in Game 2 are Monaco’s [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) and Real Madrid’s [Mario Hezonja](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mario-hezonja/003108/), each with a 24 PIR. Diallo had 21 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block, while Hezonja posted 22 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists in a 77-71 loss at Olympiacos Piraeus.

### Individual highs: Andres Feliz, Real Madrid, 6 steals

Hezonja and [Sasha Vezenkov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/sasha-vezenkov/003469/) of Olympiacos led all players with 22 points in Game 2. [Kendrick Nunn](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/kendrick-nunn/012774/) of Panathinaikos is the league’s leading scorer with 20.7 points per game.

Efes center [Vincent Poirier](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/vincent-poirier/004887/) had 10 rebounds, the most in Game 2. [Juancho Hernangomez](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/juancho-hernangomez/012712/) of Panathinaikos leads the EuroLeague with 6.9 rebounds per game.

Monaco’s [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) dished 8 assists, more than any player in Game 2. [TJ Shorts](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/tj-shorts/012608/) of Paris Basketball leads the league in this category, averaging 7.4 assists.

Real Madrid’s [Andres Feliz](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/andres-feliz/011247/) had 6 steals, tied for the second-most all-time in a playoff game. [Nick Weiler-Babb](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/nick-weiler-babb/010391/) of FC Bayern Munich tops the steals charts with 1.5 per game.

Poirer and Real Madrid’s [Walter Tavares](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/walter-tavares/005791/) were the only players with 2 blocks in Game 2. [Georgios Papagiannis](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/georgios-papagiannis/005844/) of Monaco is the EuroLeague’s top shot-blocker with 1.4 per contest.

Poirier (16 points, 10 rebounds) was the only player to record a double-double in Game 2.

A first-timer and a record-holder share the award

Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens v Anadolu Efes Istanbul (2025-04-24T18:30:00.000Z)

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge Playoffs Game 2 winner

Turkish Airlines EuroLeague fans, we have our 38th winner in this season's [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/)! Sarunas Neciunskas beat everyone else in Game 2 of the EuroLeague Playoffs with his team 'Dzookas', which had a Fantasy Challenge score of 214.15.

Sarunas had the following starting lineup: Vincent Poirier of Anadolu Efes Istanbul as team captain, then his teammate Shane Larkin, Kevin Punter of FC Barcelona, Alpha Diallo of AS Monaco and Tarik Biberovic of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul. His sixth man was Mario Hezonja of Real Madrid. The rest of the bench consisted of Monaco's Jordan Loyd, Wade Baldwin of Fenerbahce, Omer Yurtseven of Panathiniakos AKTOR Athens and Jabari Parker of Barcelona. His team's head coach was Fenerbahce play-caller Sarunas Jasikevicius.

The prize for finishing first in Round 38 is a free VIP Euroleague TV subscription for the 2025-26 season, so congratulations, Sarunas!

Marko Djukic and his team 'Kughat' remains the leader of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/) overall standings with 6,500.99 points.

Trades are now open for the 39th round of the [EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge](https://euroleaguefantasy.euroleaguebasketball.net/), which is Game 3 of the EuroLeague Playoffs, and there are an unlimited number of trades.

The first playoff game tips off on Thursday, April 29 at 20:30 CEST as Paris Basketball welcomes Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, marking the next round's deadline.

Make new teams now or improve your existing ones and try to become our next round winner!

EuroLeague Fantasy Challenge offers weekly prizes to the top team manager. 

Of several important players for Olympiacos BC, Nikola Milutinov shined particularly bright in Game 2 of the 2025 EuroLeague Playoffs against Real Madrid.

Nikola Milutinov stepped up in Game 2 to turn the tide in comeback win

After [winning Game 1](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/olympiacos-takes-care-of-real-madrid-84-72-in-game-1/) with a solid performance against [Real Madrid](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/real-madrid/mad/), the [Olympiacos Piraeus](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/olympiacos-piraeus/oly/) players were aware that *Los Blancos* would react in the second battle of the series – and Chus Mateo’s side did so from the very tip. The visitors shared the ball well on offense, scoring more than one third of their 71 points in the first quarter and taking a 15-25 lead into the second frame.

Enter [Nikola Milutinov](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/nikola-milutinov/003941/). The Olympiacos center started the second quarter with a steal on defense and a bucket following an offensive rebound on the other end. He then scored 6 of Olympiacos’s next 9 points, keeping the hosts in the game while Real Madrid looked to establish a double-digit lead. The energy he brought from the bench was transmitted to his teammates, as the Greek side completed their comeback, tying the game 38-38 at halftime.

“If I have to mention something individually – something that I don’t usually do – I want to mention how Nikola Milutinov played today,” Georgios Bartzokas said in the post-game press conference. “It was an amazing performance, defensively and offensively, grabbing rebounds and playing for the team.”

Indeed, Milutinov netted all his 10 points in the crucial second quarter, preventing Real Madrid from pulling away before the break. He may not have added to his scoring tally in the second half, but the Olympiacos center ended the game with 6 rebounds, tied his season high of 3 assists and recorded a career-high 3 steals, contributing the most on defense.

When Bartzokas pulled him to the bench with 11 seconds left on the clock, Milutinov received a well-earned standing ovation, with a buzzing Peace and Friendship Stadium chanting his name.

“It’s always special when these amazing fans sing your name, but nobody’s personal performance matters,” a humble Milutinov told EuroLeague TV. “Now the only thing that matters is what the team is capable of, because it’s the playoffs and after that hopefully the Final Four.”

<center>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bwinMVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bwinMVP</a> of the game, Nikola Milutinov!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OlympiacosBC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OlympiacosBC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreOlympiacos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreOlympiacos</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TogetherWeFight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TogetherWeFight</a> <a href="https://t.co/RfwHEKrkMT">pic.twitter.com/RfwHEKrkMT</a></p>&mdash; Olympiacos B.C. (@Olympiacos_BC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympiacos_BC/status/1915874873819140464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Having made the most of its home-court advantage by taking a 2-0 lead against Real Madrid, Olympiacos will travel to the Spanish capital next week in its bid to clinch what would be a club record fourth straight Final Four participation.

And with Milutinov averaging 10.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in the playoffs, the Reds are aware that they have a weapon that could make a huge impact off the bench.

Olympiacos now heads to Madrid with a 2-0 series lead

Mam Jaiteh and Alpha Diallo were the two stars for AS Monaco Basket as it beat FC Barcelona in Game 2 of the EuroLeague Playoffs.

Perfect Jaiteh, Diallo showed 'beauty' of Monaco's team in Game 2

[AS Monaco](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/teams/as-monaco/mco/) is one win away from reaching its second EuroLeague Final Four after [a resounding 92-79 win over FC Barcelona](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/news/monaco-blows-past-barcelona-92-79-to-take-2-0-series-lead/) in Game 2 of their best-of-five playoff series. The scoring load in this contest was taken by unlikely sources – [Alpha Diallo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/alpha-diallo/011226/) and [Mam Jaiteh](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mam-jaiteh/002581/) – who finished with 21 and 20 points, respectively.

Diallo, known more for his defense, scored 15 of Monaco’s first 17 points. His scoring run in the first 7 minutes and 8 seconds of the game included a pair of three-pointers and a three-point play to put Monaco up 17-12, and the hosts never relinquished their lead.

"He set the tone for us tonight," [Jaron Blossomgame](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jaron-blossomgame/011231/) said at the post-game press conference. "He played incredible. He does a lot of great things tonight, offensively and defensively."

"I cannot judge Alpha’s impact by scoring," coach Vassilis Spanoulis explained, also at the post-game press conference. "If he scores, it’s ok, but if he does not score, he still has great games, like in Game 1. He took advantage of great creation by his teammates. He was everywhere, he was hustling, he had great energy. The most important to me, he played great defense on [Kevin Punter](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/kevin-punter/009862/) and [Jabari Parker](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/jabari-parker/012745/)."

Alpha Diallo and Mam Jaiteh go 16-for-16 on two-pointers for AS Monaco in Game 2 vs. Barcelona

Alpha Diallo and Mam Jaiteh go 16-for-16 on two-pointers

After Diallo’s scoring spurt to start the game, it was Jaiteh’s turn to dominate. The big man started with showing off soft touch around the rims in the first half, then proceeded in the third quarter to dunk his way to a career-high tying 20 points on 9-of-9 two-point shooting.

"When you have guards who create like this, and you are ready to go in the game and start from defense and rebounding… he found his rhythm," Spanoulis said.

"Mam Jaiteh was incredible. I am very happy for him," Blossomgame added about the center.

"I think that is the beauty of our team, in general. In Game 1 we had a trio of guys that gave us the lead and then in this game a different group of guys. We have a lot of guys who can do a lot of great things for us."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">✨ 𝑴𝒂𝒎’𝒔 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕<br><br>Simply the toughest 😤<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RocaTeam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RocaTeam</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EveryGameMatterS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EveryGameMatterS</a> <a href="https://t.co/jhsSHzTohl">pic.twitter.com/jhsSHzTohl</a></p>&mdash; AS Monaco Basket 🇲🇨 (@ASMonaco_Basket) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASMonaco_Basket/status/1915873249956909115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

With Diallo going perfect 7 for 7 on two-pointers, him and Jaiteh combined for 16 two-point attempts without a miss. A true rarity, especially in a playoff game.

Those made shots were also a product of good ball distribution by [Elie Okobo](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/elie-okobo/011212/) with 8 assists, [Mike James](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague/players/mike-james/005985/) with 6, and [Matthew Strazel](https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/en/euroleague/players/matthew-strazel/008099/) with 5 helpers.

Monaco finished with 28 assists, a club record.

The team from the Principality could hardly find a better night to set this single-game all-time record, as it helped them open a 2-0 series lead. And inch closer to a trip to Abu Dhabi.

The duo made 16 two-point shots on as many attempts during a convincing playoff win over Barcelona

Olympiacos Piraeus took a 2-0 lead in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series with Real Madrid by grabbing a hard-fought 77-71 victory in Game 2 on Friday night. 

Olympiacos outlasts Real Madrid, 77-71, for a 2-0 lead in the series

Olympiacos Piraeus took a 2-0 lead in its Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoff series with Real Madrid by grabbing a hard-fought 77-71 victory in Game 2 on Friday night. The visitors hit the ground running and took a 15-25 lead into the second quarter, but the Reds outscored their opponents in each of the last three periods (23-13, 19-16, 20-17) to turn the game around and protect their home floor.

Sasha Vezenkov paced Olympiacos with 22 points and 7 rebounds, with Evan Fournier netting 17 and Nikola Milutinov recording 10 points. Mario Hezonja was the only Real Madrid player to record double digits in scoring by ending the game on 22 points, which he paired with a team-high 8 boards.

Game Videos

Hezonja and Walter Tavares got Real Madrid going with back-to-back buckets before triples from Facundo Campazzo and Alberto Abalde gave the visitors a 4-10 cushion. Then, Hezonja and Serge Ibaka scored inside, with Gabriel Deck connecting from deep and Dzanan Musa netting a layup to open a 10-23 lead. Vezenkov responded with 5 straight points, but Deck netted an off-balance buzzer-beating jumper to restore a 15-25 advantage.

Milutinov and Bruno Fernando traded scores inside before a couple of buckets from the former cut the difference to 24-29. Real Madrid answered with Usman Garuba hitting a three and Andres Feliz scoring in transition to restore a 24-34 lead. Yet, Olympiacos went on a 14-4 run fueled by Saben Lee to tie the game 38-38 at halftime.

The second half started with an exchange of blows before triples by Abalde and Hezonja put Real Madrid in front, 45-50. Fournier took over with 7 straight points before a corner triple by Luca Vildoza gave Olympiacos a 57-54 edge after another low-scoring quarter, where the two defenses suffocated the opposition offenses.

The Reds went on a 7-0 run to open the closing quarter, with Vezenkov adding 5 points to his tally to give his team a 10-point cushion. Real Madrid scored its first points of the fourth with 4:53 left on the clock, when Hezonja netted a layup in transition. Nigel Williams-Goss drilled a triple, but three straight buckets from Hezonja and a Campazzo layup made it a one-possession game, 67-64. Yet, Olympiacos fought back, as Alec Peters and Williams-Goss nailed back-to-back triples to restore a 73-64 lead, practically finishing the game off.

The Reds overcame Los Blancos to make the most of their home-court advantage